2K Games announces the
promised "fresh look at the long-awaited squad-based tactical shooter in
development at 2K Marin" with the announcement that the first-person shooter
formerly known as XCOM is being rebranded as a third-person shooter
called The Bureau: XCOM Declassified, saying the game will be released on
August 20th in North America and August 23rd in other territories, with
preorders are already underway. This rebranding was tipped by some new domains
spotted a couple of months ago,
and suspicions such a move was coming were reinforced when the game's
website recently went missing, but as recently indicated, they are not
severing ties with the XCOM universe. The switch to a third-person perspective
was also tipped last year, and is
touched upon in
an interview on games.on.net, where 2K Marin creative director Morgan Gray
talks about the project and these changes. The
game's new website is online,
here is some
concept art and a
live-action trailer, and here's word:

Windsor, UK – April 26, 2013 – 2K
and 2K Marin, makers of BioShock® 2, announced today that The Bureau: XCOM
Declassified will be released on August 20, 2013 in North America and August 23,
2013 internationally on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from
Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Windows PC. XCOM:
Enemy Unknown, developed by Firaxis Games, dazzled turn-based strategy fans and
rebooted the classic franchise. Now The Bureau will deliver a new experience
within the XCOM universe.

Set in 1962 at the height of the Cold War, The Bureau tells the origin story of
the clandestine XCOM organisation’s first encounter with a mysterious and
devastating enemy. Originally established as America’s covert defense against
the Soviet Union, The Bureau must adapt and overcome a threat unlike anything
the world has faced before. As special agent William Carter, players will call
the shots and pull the trigger, leading their squad of agents in the high-stakes
secret war for humanity’s survival. Paramount to repelling the outside threat is
The Bureau’s ability to cover-up the enemy’s existence in order to prevent
worldwide panic.

“We’re thrilled about 2K Marin’s refined vision for The Bureau: XCOM
Declassified,” said Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K. “The game has evolved
through a creative and iterative development process, and the result is a
narrative-driven experience that is smart, engaging, and challenges players to
think tactically.”

“The Bureau tells the story of XCOM’s mysterious beginnings,” said Morgan Gray,
creative director at 2K Marin. “We’re expanding the universe with a declassified
tale of government conspiracy and heroic cover-ups told through third-person
tactical gameplay.”

In the spirit of the XCOM franchise, The Bureau’s calculated combat design
requires players to think and act tactically. The game’s third-person
perspective gives the player a sense of spatial awareness and grants them the
freedom to transition in and out Carter’s unique Battle Focus ability seamlessly
– heightening the tactical shooter action. The Bureau also fully embraces the
concept of permanent consequence. As our last line of defense, every command can
mean the difference between life and death for Carter, his squad and mankind.

“The team has been working hard to leverage core XCOM elements like tactical
decision-making and permanent death of squad mates in a purposeful way that
makes this a unique tactical shooter,” added Gray. “To that end, The Bureau will
challenge players unlike any other third-person tactical shooter.”

The Bureau: XCOM Declassified can be pre-ordered today at all participating
retailers. Those who pre-order will receive the Codebreakers side-mission as a
bonus. In this special campaign side-mission, a communications facility
responsible for intercepting and interpreting the enemy’s transmissions has gone
dark. Special Agent Carter and his squad must make contact with any remaining
personnel and investigate the incident.

The Bureau: XCOM Declassified is not yet rated by PEGI. For more information,
please visit Facebook, or the official web site:
http://erasethetruth.com.

Post CommentEnter the details of the comment
you'd like to post in the boxes below and click the button at
the bottom of the form.